Snoring likely to be in your genes

Children whose parents suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea - of which snoring is a major symptom - have a much higher chance of having the condition. Photo / Thinkstock

Study shows 5 to 10 per cent of adults have severe sleep apnoea and the majority of them are overweight.

There's bad news for the children whose parents keep them awake at night snoring - they are more likely to follow in their parents' footsteps and be noisy sleepers too.

Children whose parents suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea - of which snoring is a major symptom - have a much higher chance of having the condition than children whose parents do not, according to new research from Otago University which has found a genetic link.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a sleep breathing disorder that occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat close off the airway during sleep.

But as well as keeping the family awake all night, sleep apnoea can affect a child's learning at school by hindering their ability to retain information, making them more sleepy during the day and more prone to developing cardiovascular issues such as hypertension later in life.

Otago University in Wellington senior lecturer and co-researcher of the study Dr Angela Campbell said the consequences could be serious, so it was important problems were picked up early.

The study involved asking 25 children whose parents had obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and 25 whose parents were low risk questions about symptoms related to snoring and sleep apnoea. It found a significantly larger number of the children whose parents had sleep apnoea appeared to exhibit the related symptoms such as snoring, restlessness at night, breathing through the mouth, sweating in the night and hyperactivity during the day.

The children whose parents had sleep apnoea were more likely to snore loudly and to have crowded or small airways.

Factors that contributed to sleep apnoea included facial structure, which could be genetic, and being overweight.

Dr Michael Hlavac, NZ Branch Committee chairman of the Australasian Sleep Association and director of the sleep unit at Christchurch Hospital, said about 20 per cent of adults had sleep apnoea. It was twice as common in men. Between 5 and 10 per cent of adults had severe sleep apnoea. Most were overweight.

NZ Respiratory and Sleep Institute clinical director Dr Andrew Veale said it was not surprising there was a link between parents who had sleep apnoea and their children because certain bone structures and tongue sizes made it more likely. He said it was effectively treated in children by removing their tonsils.

Mask solves sleeping problem

After years of sleeping badly, Jill Hammonds, 61, was diagnosed with sleep apnoea about 10 years ago.

The Paraparaumu woman said she initially became aware of the problem because she was constantly overtired.

Once diagnosed, she was given a mask connected to a machine that helped her airways remain open while she slept.

Though it took her a while to get used to wearing the mask, she has had no health problem related to the condition since.

"It took me a long time to get to the stage where my sleep was better," she said, but now she was not overtired at all.

Ms Hammonds said it was important that people with the condition got support to deal with it, which was why she was part of the Sleep Apnoea Association of New Zealand, which held support group meetings around the country.

Ms Hammonds said she had two grown sons and four grandkids, but luckily none of them suffered from the condition. She hoped more research would be done.

- Susan Strongman

5 ways to sleep better

1 Have a regular sleep pattern
2 Spend the right amount of time in bed
3 Bed is for sleeping, not entertainment
4 Wind down and relax before going to bed
5 Have a comfy bedroom.